Located near the small town of El Calafate, Argentina, the Perito Moreno Glacier (Glaciar Perito Moreno) is part of the Glaciers National Park (Parque Nacional Los Glaciares) and listed as a UNESCO Heritage site since 1981. Every year, it attracts nearly 100,000 visitors, especially those craving to observe the Glacier calving i.e. when big chunks of ice fall off in the water. Unlike what most people think, calving is the Perito Moreno is not due to global warming. It is actually one of the few glaciers in Patagonia that is advancing rather than retreating. The famous 'bridge' is a result of this growing process, as the pressure from growth builds a bridge against the lake. A tunnel is then created by water pressure to let the water flow, and the latter collapses; giving space for the process to start again. According to some scientists, the next bridge collapse may happen some time between 2020 and 2022.
A lot of tourist will be debating between the Chilean Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park (Parque Nacional Torres del Paine) or the Argentinian side of the Patagonia. I have only had the opportunity to visit a small portion of both sites and I have to admit that what I have seen was equally beautiful. If you can only go to Chile and wish to visit a glacier, the Grey Glacier (Glaciar Grey) is a popular one, almost like the little cousin of the Perito Moreno. Having said this, the Torres del Paine National Park offers more beyond glaciers and I will mention it in a separate article.
If you have the opportunity to cross the border between Chile and Argentina near Puerto Natales, you cannot miss a visit to the Perito Moreno.
How to get there from Chile?
If you are based in Chile, you should fly from Santiago to Punta Arenas. You can find cheap flights from LATAM Airlines or Sky Airlines. To give you an idea, I paid my flights US$86 return during peak season (December), but booked them fairly early.
From Punta Arenas, you can take a bus to Puerto Natales, and stay there a couple of days if you wish to visit the area, as trips depart from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park. You will then have to take a bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate. The best bus company is Bus Sur. The journey will last approximately 7 hours including the border crossing and the cost of a one way ticket is about CLP20,000 (A$40; 23 Eur). The buses are comfortable and provide snacks on board.
*Whilst this is a guidance for the cheapest option departing from Santiago, Chile, you can always fly directly to El Calafate, especially if you do not wish to visit the Torres del Paine National Park.
Once you are in El Calafate, getting to the glacier is no issue. Plenty of companies offer day trips to the Perito Moreno on a daily basis. My experience of the glacier was fantastic because I did not just hop onto a bus a watched it for 20 minutes before leaving again. If you have the time and budget, I would highly suggest to hike the Perito Moreno!
Hiking the Perito Moreno Glacier
There is only one company that provides the on-glacier hike: Hielo y Aventura. There are two options: the Mini-Trekking and the Big Ice. In my honest opinion, from the reviews I have read and people I have talked to, the Mini-Trekking is not as good as the Big Ice.
I personally did the latter and this is what you get:
- transport to and from the Glacier
- visit of the Glacier from the classic view points with NO tourists around, as we were the first to arrive
- an hour hike in the bush to get to Glacier
- a 3.5 hour trekking on the ice
- a short boat cruise near the Glacier (this is sometimes sold apart from classic tours) to get to the hiking point
- all equipments provided
- professional guides
- breathtaking views
- a whisky shot at the end!
The hike was physically demanding but not impossible. I had previously done a Glacier hike in New Zealand and every time, I cannot hold my breath. The views you get from up there are simply so unique. You will have the opportunity to drink the Glacier water, see crevices, blue lagoons, and much more.
The Big Ice price as of March 2019 is ARS$7,900 with the shuttle (A$280; 175 Eur) but is worth every penny.
*I highly recommend that you book your hike in advance, especially during high-season as it is likely to sell out!
Pro tips for when hiking the Glacier:
- bring waterproof high (ankle) hiking shoes
- waterproof jacket
- waterproof gloves (trust me, necessary)
- sunnies
- basically layer, layer, layer (it will get hot AND cold)
- water bottle: no need to bring too much as it will get heavy and you can refill it on the Glacier
- sunscreen
- lunch for the best view lunch ever
- book any flights on the LOCAL website to save costs
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